Hey guys, I've seen your reviews.

Thanks so much for the feed back and the support, really appereciate it. I'm trying to make this story as perfect as possible for you. I know, I'm not doing well but at least I'm trying, right? If there is anything wrong, I'll try to change it. I haven't come up with any flash backs but I will soon. Anyways, on to the story!

The next morning

'What a day that was.' The hickey was still very conspicuous the next morning. I went outside with a scarf around my neck. 'He told me to not cover them but it's impossible. Uzumaki seems really quick with girls...I just can't tell what's on his mind.' As I was mulling over this I heard a voice behind me. "Good morning." Uzumaki greeted with a straight face. "G-Good morning, sir." I stammered. Uzumaki's gaze stopped at my scarf. He raised his brows in displeasure. "Um, this..." I tried to explain why I had this scarf on today, but I was too embarrassed to let him rip my scarf off my neck. I ran off a deserted garden.

The empty corridor led to a courtyard. I squiented atthe crisp moring wind, in sharp contrast to my feelings. Uzumaki, a few meters ahead, turned around. "Hey." "Uzumaki? How did you find me here?! I-I mean, what is it?" Worried about my neck, I held on to my scarf. I was scared, watching me take on a defensive attitude... Uzumaki sighed. "You don't have to be on guard." He muttered. "No, I wasn't guarding myself." I denyed his words that were shot to me. "You look strange." Uzumaki said contemptuously. "Not that I should care but." "And what is it that you called me for?" I asked, wanting to get out of all this as fast as possible. "You don't have to rush things. You don't have anything urgent now, do you?"

"Well no, but-"

"Then there should be no problem." Uzumaki said gruffly and looked away. He mumbled without changing his expression. "Besides, it's not like I'm gonna eat you up or something." Seeing how composed Uzumaki was...I started feeling embarrassed for being on guard unnecessarily. 'Was he just playing with me?' As I was mulling over all this...Uzumaki turned to face me. "Hyuga. There's something I wanna give you." "Give me?"

"This is yours, right?" Uzumaki handed me something. It was... "It's my necklace..." It was the necklace I had lost...at the New Years party when we first met at. "Why do you have it, Uzumaki?" Uzumaki was staring at me with an undecipherable expression on his face. I thought back to our first encounter. 'Uzumaki grabbed me as an excuse to run away from his girlfriend. And when we met later. I thought he'd forgotten about me.'

"...So you do remember?" I asked with a small smile across my face. "Of course." Uzumaki said and took out a cigarette.

"Can I?"

"Oh, please go ahead." I slightly blushed when I glanced at my necklace he had given back to me. "Sorry." Uzumaki muttered. He moved under the wind and lit up, sending a curl of smoke in the air. He gazed blankly at the smoke disappearing into the morning air. "I can only smoke in places like this."

"No problem." Not even looking at him, I said those words in a low tone. "But..." I finally looked at him and began to speak. "You didn't mention anything, Uzumaki... When I came outside I thought you'd forgotten me."Looking embarrassed, Uzumaki looked at me. He dropped the ashes in his portable ashtray and muttered.

"I do make it to a point to remember those who are interesting." "Does that mean...I should be pleased?" Despite all that, I thanked him for picking it up.

"Th-Thank you..."

"Yeah, don't lose it again." Uzumaki's words and tone was unexpectedly gentle. My heart skipped a beat. 'A strange man. I'm so relieved though.' I looked at my necklace again. The necklace sparkled as though it responded to my joy. I couldn't help smiling. "Was that necklace precious to you?"

"Huh?"

"You look so happy."

"Oh this...I bought it as a gift to celebrate my first time training with you..."

"Hmmph."

"To celebrate the teenager in training I want to be. I felt I needed something worth my troubles I've been through...like a necklace to go with everything I wear...suitable even for formal occasions." I touched my necklace, answering him. The anxiety, the joy I felt when I bought this necklace...all kinds of emotions took over me. "Everything you wear, eh..." Uzumaki said, and it looked like he was deeply moved. "Huh?"

"It looked good on you."

"Huh?"

"The clothes you're wearing now, it looked good on you."

"Oh..."

So Uzumaki remembered what I had on. "Thank you." I smiled at him. "Were those clothes your choice?" I nodded at his question. "And that necklace too?" "Yes, sir." I frowned, not understanding what he was getting at. Uzumaki nodded slightly. "Oh." And he smiled gently. "What happened, Uzumaki?" "Fine feathers make fine birds!" I was really puzzled. "F-Feathers make fine birds?!" I stammered in falsetto and Uzumaki laughed loudly. "Hee-hee, what kind of voice is that?! What a joke." I didn't reply and stared at the ground. "Why, what's surprising you so?" I smiled and looked at him again. "Well, even you can laugh like that."

"I'm human, too." He blushed. "Um...I'm sorry. It was just so..." I scratched my head nervously. "Does it surprise you that I crack up?" "Um, that's not it." It was frustrating. I couldn't put it into words. I felt a certain kind of joy, a tickling sensation...because of the smile Uzumaki had showed me. It was as if I'd seen a part of him I had never known. 'How should I express this in words?' As I thought real hard, Uzumaki narrowed his eyes. He raised his arm to reach for my shoulder.

Just as Uzumaki's hand was about to touch me... "Hey, you two!" Someone shouted, Uzumaki and I yelped. My body jerked up. From the ally leading to the town, a boy named Rock Lee, my classmate in my school walked to us with a calm expression. "When were you looking?" Uzumaki asked expressionless. "You mean when you two were about to fall in each other's arms?" Lee chuckled. "We didn't fall into each other's arms." Uzumaki denied and sighed. "Oh? Or were you kissing each other?" Lee smiled. "We weren't doing that either, Lee!" Ignoring Uzumaki, Lee continued talking. "I mean a boy and a girl in a secluded place like this. There's only one thing to do, right?" 'He's got Uzumaki wrapped around his finger.' He seemed to notice me looking at him. "H-Hi... I'm Hinata Hyuga." I greeted with a shy smile.

"Ha-ha, I know you. Actually, I was on my way to see you." Lee took my hand. "Yes, just as I imagined, a beautiful lady." "Uh..." I blushed deeply. Lee was a funny guy, he was also a gentleman now. He was different from Uzumaki. Unable to stand our conversation, Uzumaki interrupted us in an irritable voice. "Hey, stop messing with us!" Lee frowned at Uzumaki. "Oh, all right." He shrugged his shoulders at Uzumaki's angry voice. He let go of my hand and shoved his own in his pocket. "Excuse me for casually touching a lady I've just met. I remeber, people don't engage in much physical contact here in Japan...except lovers and people you have affection for, right?" Saying so he gave me and Uzumaki a meaningful smile.

"What is it that you want?" Lee chuckled at Uzumaki, "Hmmph, you seem to start boiling when it comes to Ms. Hyuga." Uzumaki glared at him. "Hinata here is my favorite lady." I blushed slightly at Lee's words. "Favorite?" I repeated. "Yes. Oh and Naruto..." Lee shrugged lightly and said, "Feel for the lady. Taking her out shamelessly like this in broad daylight won't do it." Lee walked away while laughing. And that was when Uzumaki's roar echoed throughout the courtyard. I was gazing Uzumaki's back after Lee left...when he turned around abruptly.

Lee said I was his favorite.

I wonder if I'm Uzumaki's favorite as well...